Early Roster Projections Reiss v. Breer

[mgteich]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

It should be noted that there are other roles in addition to tackles. For example, Slater is the upblocker.

Belichick will not get ride of the most of the leaders as some have suggested.

CB Kyle Arrington -- 18
LB Pierre Woods -- 18
LB Eric Alexander -- 13
S Pat Chung -- 13
S Brandon McGowan -- 12
WR Sam Aiken -- 11
LB Rob Ninkovich -- 11
WR Matthew Slater -- 7
K Stephen Gostkowski -- 6

Arrington has been outstanding on ST since his arrival in NE. I'd be disappointed to see him go. Didn't he lead the team in special teams tackles despite only being on the roster for half of the season?

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

Slater is staying.
Arrington stays.
Fletcher is very athletic. Stays.
Aiken, Alexander, and Murrell GFTO.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

It is always interesting to see folks binkies. Fletcher is about 14th on the LB depth chart and we will keep 8-10. I doubt that he will make the Practice Squad.

Slater is staying.
Arrington stays.
Fletcher is very athletic. Stays.
Aiken, Alexander, and Murrell GFTO.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

Did you enjoy seeing Whigham, Davis and Izzo playing defense? We've always had special teamers who were not expected to play defense.

Maybe we have moved too far with four, maybe not.

AIKEN, SLATER, WOODS or MURRELL, and ARRINGTON or LOCKETT works for me.

As I've stated before, the Pats have had four ST-only guys in recent years (e.g., 2008, where Izzo, Slater, Kelley Washington[!], and Ventrone played almost exclusively on ST).

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

It is always interesting to see folks binkies. Fletcher is about 14th on the LB depth chart and we will keep 8-10. I doubt that he will make the Practice Squad.

I expect that both Fletcher and Bubba Jr. [Ross Ventrone] will make the PS.

 

[BradyManny]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

You list three special teamer. Reiss lists four. That's NOTa huge difference.
I also list four: your three plus Woods, although Murrell could indeed beat him out for a roster spot.

Basically, we are discussing

AIKEN
SLATER
ARRINGTON or LOCKETT
MURRELL or WOODS (or no one as your 4th)

Let me clarify - I think I'd put all 3 in the maybe category. Woods, I think, is in a different category b/c he has proven usefulness as depth at OLB.

The thing is, we can talk about how important special teams is - but what's even more important is to build your team for the future. We need to develop these young guys - and to do that, they need to make the 53. Aiken, Slater, Arrington, Murrel, Lockett have extremely low ceilings. They will likely never offer any value save for on ST.

How many of those guys can you carry on a team?

I think sometimes fans - and Reiss in this instance - try to be too cute when they make these roster projections. They know Belichick loves special teams contributions, and values players who contribute in that aspect of the game. What they forget is that Belichick loves players who contribute in multiple aspect of the games. A player who ONLY can contribute on ST is limited - just as limited as a WR who only takes offensive snaps, or a DT who only takes offensive snaps. In fact, clearly moreso limited b/c they will be on the field a fraction of the time as those players.

Ideally, these young guys like Spikes, McKenzie, McCourty, Wheatley, Wilhite, Cunningham, Crable, whoever, start to contribute on ST, and we can have them replace the players who offer no value on either offense or defense. I know Belichick would consider that ideal. In spite of what fans may think, I am 100% positive that, ideally, BB would carry 0 ST-only players. He wants players that can contribute in multiple phases and offer depth at multiple positions. That ideal hasn't been realized, and may never be - so he's had to carry Aiken, Slater, etc. when they offer no real depth at other positions.

Not to mention the fact, in spite of reserving several roster spots for ST-only players the last few years, our ST units have been poor. We may be overrating our supposed ST-aces.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Early Roster Projections Reiss v Breer

The fact is that Belichick has devoted 3-6 roster spots over the last three years to players who play little else but special teams. You conclude that the special teams aren't that good. That would lead me think that we need stronger special teams players not weaker ones. So, if we are wverrating our aces, then we need to continue to impove. Belichick brought in Aiken to do that. This yer he brought in Murrell.

I don't see how our special teams improves by having inexperienced players in those roles.

.Not to mention the fact, in spite of reserving several roster spots for ST-only players the last few years, our ST units have been poor. We may be overrating our supposed ST-aces.